Ahtunowhiho
AKA "The One Who Dwells Below" Location Beneath the Great Plains Appearance Appears as an enormous black shadow, having layers upon layers of what appears to be fat but formed from shadow. On closer inspection, the mass also can be seen to contain bones, many broken and some protruding through the “flesh” of the creature. Eyes and mouths appear and disappear in its sludge of darkness. Lair When physical, it prefers to hide in the shadow of forests or valleys, and tends to take up that entire area. History In the days when the New World was being visited by the White Man, a certain tribe under the command of one He Who Stands In Shadow stood against the encroaching foe, aided by the spirits of the earth. When their lands continued to be ravaged, and their people continued to be killed, the chief called all his most powerful shaman together and attempted one final ritual. No one knows what happened to this tribe, or even to this day can find any trace or memory of them among the people of the Plains. What is known is that ever since, people have irrationally feared what lurks in shadow in the dark corners of even the most peaceful sanctuary. Modus Operandi Ahtunowhiho reveals itself to potential servants and victims alike in the shade beneath the boughs of forests and in between mountains. Its great size and shadowy appearance are difficult to spot, as one can easily mistake it for the entirety of the shadow, but it is betrayed by the terrible shuddering of its outer edges and the multitude of eyes that seem to watch from the dark. It will attempt to overcome the mind of its target, making an opposed Willpower against Willpower roll. If successful, it will draw its prey into the gaping maw of darkness. If Ahtunowhiho is hungry, it will simply consume its victim, but otherwise, the unfortunate soul will be stripped of all semblance of life, the soulless remnant filled to the brim with living shadow, and released back into the world to do the will of this terrible, ancient Horror. Avatar The Avatar of Ahtunowhiho takes the name of its master, as it is no longer human, but a shell devoid of mind or spirit, filled to the brim with seeping darkness. The eyes of the Avatar will appear cloudy, and black smoke will often trickle from the facial orifices. The Avatar will not be very charming, and instead will try to cast malevolent spells on the weak-minded to frighten them into joining its cult. Servants Atunowhiho can control Shades, which are formed out of its body, and even in spiritual form can summon and control Swarms effortlessly. It also is somewhat responsible for Jack Grinner. Power Atunowhiho can create darkness of any depth, on any scale, without effort. This is important, as it can only move in shaded or dark areas. This darkness spreads a number of feet every minute equal to the numeric result of a Willpower roll. Summonation The summonation of Atunowhiho must take place at either the entrance to the grove or a mountain overlooking the valley where it was originally discovered by the Avatar. The ritual must take place in the darkness of a New Moon, and requires one of the cult to enter the woods, willingly or not, to be consumed as a sacrifice. The process takes the entire night, from the time the sun goes down until the time it would normally go back up. If the ritual is performed properly, the sun will not come back up. Offering To gain favor with Atunowhiho, young livestock must be led into the shadow and then left behind. Of course, if one leads people into the darkness, this pleases him much more. Gifts Atunowhiho grants its followers with the ability to call up an area of thick, black fog a number of feet square equal to the follower’s Willpower score. Cults There are currently no known cults to Atunowhiho, although there may be individually practicing shaman scattered among the Plains tribes.Category:ESPERCategory:Horrors